The four classes of first-graders at Harlan Elementary School recently did extensive research on a specific animal, wrote a book about the animal, made a chart about the animal and made a mask of the animal. A talking zoo gave each child an opportunity to tell parents about their research.

“They worked very hard on the project and they had fun,” said Scott Kefgen, one of the teachers. “Each child had an iPad and also used a variety of sources. The children read books and used data information sites. The Birmingham schools subscribe to Pebble Go, which is a brilliant website and is age-appropriate for early elementary students.”

The Common Core standards for learning at first-grade level call for students to write informative texts in which they name a topic, supply facts about the topic and provide a sense of closure. They are also expected to learn about beginning sentences with uppercase letters and to use punctuation at the end of sentences.

Another expectation is for students to differentiate opinions vs. facts in writing. The reading and writing the students did helped develop these skills.

“They really got into this project," teacher Lori Hirsch said. "Some students studied three or four animals.”

Heidi Smith, another teacher, noted that “this was a fun way to learn writing and reading skills.”

Laurie Cooper, the other teacher involved, said students were "excited to learn more and go find answers" in other books.

"When I showed them some of their earlier work, they were impressed with how much they have progressed in first grade," Cooper said. "They have shown growth with their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.”

Best friends and bird buddies Avery Williams (left), 7, and Kate Johnson, 7, carefully chose their outfits to represent a cardinal and blue jay for their research project presentations.(Photo: Laurie Cooper)

As the children completed their books about the animals, they included a table of contents, a description of the animal, a diagram of the animal, fun facts, food, a glossary and where in the world the animal lives. The children also completed a large chart about their animal.

Kindergarten classes visited the talking zoo and wandered among the first-graders, hearing reports on animals and seeing the books, charts and animal masks. It was a delight for the kindergarten teachers to see the development of skills in the students they taught last year.

As first-graders talked about what they learned, Gillian Van Allen mentioned that when words were in bold letters on the Pebble Go website, they were especially important. Charlie Graves found the videos of the animals doing things informative. Sophie Chirco liked articles about life cycles, habitats, and fun facts.

The talking zoo was the culminating activity after two weeks of doing research, writing books and making charts and masks. Parents enjoyed hearing their own child’s speech about his or her animal. They also enjoyed the presentations of other students.

Peyton Jones’s grandmother, Debbie Jones said, “What a treat is was to visit your first-grade zoo. Kudos to the children for all of their hard work in all they accomplished. I found them eager and proud to share their projects.”

Alison Woerner added, “I cannot tell you how impressed I was with your talking zoo. Each child I visited was prepared, knew all about their selection and was able to hold a full conversation with me. Their personalities shined through their work. It was obvious how hard all of you teachers and children worked to make this possible.”

Ann Deel added, “The talking zoo was a wonderful event to see the first-graders practice their speaking skills, while teaching adults about their favorite animals. Who knew that Siamese cats can walk on a leash or that bald eagles mate for life? I truly enjoyed the experience and, if the high noise level was any indication, the children truly enjoyed the talking zoo, too.”

“The talking zoo was a great opportunity for students to showcase their ability to read, write and speak to others they wouldn’t normally speak to,” Harlan Principal Alex Agius said.

Diane K. Bert is a Bloomfield Hills resident with a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Wayne State University. She can be reached at dkbert617@gmail.com.

Zebras were very interesting animals for Sam Bunting to research. He had fun making his headband to match his book and poster.(Photo: Laurie Cooper)